How EV charging providers can leverage electricity meters to improve load management in critical locations

In EV charging, every kilowatt-hour consumed and every charging decision made impacts the grid’s stability and operational efficiency. The electricity meter is at the heart of this interplay, a seemingly simple device that can play a foundational role in energy management.

Spanning from the familiar single-phase meters found in residential settings to the powerful three-phase units supporting commercial and workplace EV charging use cases, these electricity meters do more than tally energy consumption. They are essential to more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable EV charging.

Optimizing EV charging with smart electricity meters

Smart electricity meters are advanced metering devices that provide granular, real-time data on electricity usage and enable two-way communication between the meter and the energy management system. These devices can transmit information wirelessly or through fixed wired connections, such as a power line carrier (PLC).

The bi-directional communication facilitated by smart meters can be transformative for CPOs, as it offers precise real-time energy tracking enabling them to optimize charging operations for improved grid stability. It can enhance the user experience through dynamic pricing and efficient load management while also supporting the use of renewable energy and reducing the environmental impact of EV infrastructure.

Electricity meter-enhanced dynamic load management

Cloud-based dynamic load management, enhanced with electricity meter data, enables CPOs to monitor not just the load from their charging stations but also other loads on the circuit, providing a more integrated approach to managing energy demand.

Electricity meters provide comprehensive data on the circuit’s total current, enabling this information to be shared with the Charge Point Management System (CPMS) platform. With this data, the CPMS can deploy sophisticated load management algorithms to more effectively manage the power allocated to the charging infrastructure, taking into account the main circuit breaker’s rated current.

The result is a dynamic, real-time load management system. Thanks to the high-frequency communication capabilities of electricity meters, the CPMS can receive timely power usage data for the entire circuit. With insights into the total circuit load and the specific demands of the charging stations, the system can adeptly adjust power distribution, enhancing efficiency and reliability for the CPOs’ operations.

AMPECO’s integration with electricity meters

AMPECO’s EV charging management platform empowers CPOs to add and manage electricity meters within the back office. Network operators can track real-time meter readings for each device, capturing essential details such as ID, reading timestamp, current across different phases, and even the device’s temperature. 

This granular data collection enables operators to see patterns and optimize energy usage effectively. Additionally, AMPECO facilitates metering data export, allowing for deeper analysis and strategic planning.

Our platform supports a range of electricity meters applicable to various markets and charging use cases, such as Phoenix, Enegic, Eastron Wattch, and Shelly. We will expand this list based on customer feedback to evolve alongside the industry’s needs.

The installation process for some meters, like those from Enegic or Shelly, is designed to be non-intrusive, requiring no power cuts or alterations to existing setups, significantly simplifying the integration process. 

Integrating electricity meter data into AMPECO’s dynamic load management (DLM) allows the system to ascertain the current drawn from non-managed loads on a circuit, ensuring that power allocation for charge points is optimized without risking overload. With electricity meters transmitting data at high frequencies, the CPMS platform can promptly respond by analyzing the total circuit load in near real-time. After distinguishing between the consumption from chargers and other sources, power distribution can be modified with a built-in buffer to account for any fluctuations or uncertainties.

In cases when the electricity meter detects a non-managed load, AMPECO’s platform dynamically recalibrates the DLM settings for the chargers to prevent circuit overload. This proactive adjustment is essential for maintaining operational continuity and safety. If the maximum amperage is surpassed on any circuit phase, we immediately recalculate and enforce new charging limits. 

Moreover, if a meter goes offline, we have protocols to reserve a default current for non-managed loads, ensuring the system remains balanced and operational, limited to the buffer required.

Types of electricity meter integrations available with AMPECO

AMPECO offers versatile electricity meter integration options, accommodating various communication methods to streamline data flow and enhance system efficiency:

• Meters with Cloud Integration: These meters operate on a request-response model. AMPECO requests data, and the meter’s cloud-based management system provides the necessary information.
• Direct meter communication: AMPECO can directly request and receive data for meters without cloud connectivity, ensuring seamless information flow even without cloud support.
• OCPP data transfer meters: Some meters send their data using Data Transfer messages that are compliant with the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP), allowing for standardized communication.
• Integration via AMPECO’s API: Smart meters can transmit data directly to AMPECO using its API, simplifying real-time data acquisition and bypassing the need for complex integrations with different meter brands. 

The benefits for charge point operators

For CPOs, the primary advantage of real-time data-driven load management is ensuring balanced energy distribution and optimizing the overall charging network efficiency. Advanced dynamic load management (DLM) solutions allow CPOs to offer more efficient solutions on critical locations and key site hosts in public or home charging contexts.

The benefits for EV drivers

Electricity meters provide EV drivers with detailed insights into their energy usage and costs, which empowers them to make informed decisions, potentially reducing energy consumption and decreasing overall expenses. Electricity meters facilitate more precise and timely billing from utilities, ensuring that customers pay for their energy usage. 

Time-of-use pricing, enabled by electricity meters, incentivizes EV drivers to charge their cars during off-peak hours, optimizing energy use and contributing to grid stability while potentially lowering charging costs.

Explore AMPECO’s advanced DLM and electricity metering solutions

AMPECO’s dynamic load management module leverages electricity meters to measure the circuit’s total current and report it to the platform to be considered when optimizing the load on the charging stations, ensuring efficient energy distribution and enhanced network performance.

Integrating DLM functionalities with electric metering represents a strategic enhancement designed to empower CPOs to secure new locations and expand their existing networks. This synergy between smart metering and EV charging technology enables operators to deliver an optimized charging experience, improve grid integration, and access valuable, data-driven insights for informed infrastructure development.